“Eliminating indoor dining in New York City will push restaurants and their employees to a point from which there is no recovery. The governor’s previous restrictions were nearly impossible to endure, and his latest decision threatens to inflict permanent damage to a critical sector of the city’s economy and workforce. 

People have a right to earn a living. These businesses have clearly demonstrated their ability to contain the spread of COVID, comply with capacity limits and implement effective social-distancing protocols. A transmission rate of only 1.43 percent is evidence of their commendable efforts in this regard. 

We are entering the coldest time of year and a highly-profitable season for restaurants. With a vaccine on the horizon, there was reason for optimism. But for thousands of men and women in the restaurant and food service industry, that optimism was taken away today, only to be replaced with fear as their livelihoods hang in the balance once again.”